Small group adventure vacation

You will be sharing your experiences with a maximum of 13 like minded travelers and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are traveling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travelers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places.

Responsible tourism

Responsible tourism: Alaska vacation, classic camping tour

We are committed to offering low impact tours that benefit both the places and communities we visit as well as our travelers. It is important for us all to be aware of the delicate balance that exists in the variety of natural wonders you will visit. National Parks and monuments, archaeological sites and other sensitive areas should and must be treated with respect.

We have created a 'Travelers' Code of Conduct' to help prepare and inform our groups of the various positive or negative effects they could have on a destination. The code includes tips on everything from handling wildlife encounters to how you can help to conserve precious natural resources. Our tour leaders will explain this code of conduct during the first night’s orientation talk and encourage you to follow it throughout the tour.

This code includes following the ‘Leave No Trace’ ethic, this is an international campaign that is designed to help us minimise the impact on the National Parks and other wilderness areas that we visit. Some key guidelines we follow include keeping to existing trails, staying in official campgrounds and disposing of all waste responsibly and recycling whatever we can.

We are proud supporters of Bay Area Wilderness Training (www.bawt.org) a charity based in Oakland California which works to connect disadvantaged children in the local urban area with the great outdoors. Their work helps to provide these young people with life changing experiences which they canapply to everyday life. Everyone booking with Grand American Adventures has the option to donate £1/$1/€1 to support this well-deserved charity and we will match this donation.

Whenever possible, we use local accommodation and activity providers. We also shop locally for groceries, eat in small family-run restaurants and visit local shops whenever possible. This all brings economic benefit to the local communities that we visit.

In Alaska we use small locally owned service providers for our included and optional activities. Due to the short tourist summer season in this region we make a special effort to use as much varied local produce whilst on tour as possible. This aims to evenly distribute money spent on tourism in Alaska between many small businesses.

This tour incorporates use of a local guide and National Park communal transport, as well as adhering to National Park rules and regulations. Our tour leaders will also educate travelers on how best to interact with the wildlife in the parks, for example advising people not to feed the animals to stop them becoming dependent on hand-outs from humans

We spend a significant amount of time at various National Parks on this tour, the included entrance fees help to preserve the status and upkeep of the park on a continued and sustainable basis. Interaction with National Park Rangers helps to preserve this role as an employment opportunity for local people and future generations

This tour overnights at a wilderness camp, a small family owned business which without our loyal and continued relationship would not be able to sustain itself. The camp has a strong responsible environmental policy which is as much a part of business and life-style as customer safety.

4 Reviews of Alaska vacation, classic camping tour

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Reviewed on 26 Aug 2015 by Howard Robinson

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?

No question about this. It was sitting in a small boat, in a remote lake, about 25 or 30 metres away from where grizzly bears were catching and eating salmon. We spent a brilliant 4 hours there, having flown in using a small float plane. Completely unforgettable! Kayaking among the icebergs in Prince William Sound, among the sea otters, was pretty special too!

2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?

Arrive a couple of days early, and acclimatise after flights in to Anchorage, before joining the tour group. Discover Uncle Joe's Pizzas in Anchorage! Get bikes, and cycle along the coast towards the airport, to see moose. Buy a foam pillow for $10 to use! Take DEET for mosquitos, although these were not a big issue for us. Finally, don't under-estimate how long it will take you to get over jet-lag after returning, or indeed the way in which the wilderness experience will change your outlook on everything.

3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?

Yes, food was bought locally, and camping was very low impact.

4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?

Best vacation that our family of four has ever had. Absolutely recommended.

Reviewed on 11 Aug 2013 by Maria Sarda

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?

It's hard to pick just one moment so my highlights were kayaking amongst icebergs, ice climbing in the glacier, seeing all kinds of wildlife, trying the local beer in some amazing saloons and camping with the most amazing views of the mountains and glaciers to wake up to.

2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?

First of all, book it !! You won't regret it. Pack layers but don't overpack as you will get a chance to do some laundry. Bring books and music for the van journeys and keep a journal so that you won't forget all the amazing places you'll visit.

3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?

It definitely benefited local people. Many business (campings, activities, tours) are very seasonal so using their services helps the, keep the good work that they do. All of them were very environmentally friendly so I guess by supporting them you also help the environment.

4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?

It was an amazing experience. I fell in love with the place and the group I travelled with and our guide were super!! Which made the trip even more memorable. The itinerary was great and it was all very well organised and hassle free.

Reviewed on 27 Aug 2012 by Mary Jane Mahony

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?

The optional extra activity of kayaking among icebergs off the Columbia glacier out of Valdez, Alaska. It was pricey but became the activity we had to tell everyone about.

2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?

Be sure to get clear information about the optional activities, when they will be available and how much they will cost.

3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?

4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?

Great group of people, tour leader did a superior job, enjoyed the variety of scenery, wildlife and possible activities.

Reviewed on 02 Aug 2012 by Karen Bennett

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?

Wrangell-St Elias - wonderfully remote, beautiful, great time hiking out to and ice climbing on Root Glacier. Loved the kayaking too - one day with sea otters, another through an ice field and last day down rapids.

2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?

Go! Beautiful landscape, glaciers, range of outdoor activities, whales, grizzly bears and salmon (latter to eat) galore way more than make up for long drives and changeable weather. Would love to go back.

3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?

Yes - using local guides for activities, all very conscious of environment. Mindful of 'pack in, pack out' with all activities and camping.

4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?

An amazing couple of weeks - great to be in such vast outdoors, mix of coast and the interior and tour leader worked really hard to ensure we all got the best out of the experience.